我说
wǒ shuō
I speak · trad. 我說
我说 (wǒ shuō) is the most direct translation for “I speak” in Mandarin Chinese. While grammatically correct, Chinese often uses more specific verbs or omits the pronoun “I” depending on the context.
When to use it
Neutral. When talking about speaking a language, you'll often hear 我会说 (wǒ huì shuō), meaning “I can speak.” For general conversation or discussion, 讲 (jiǎng) is often interchangeable with 说. For casual chatting, 聊 (liáo) is used.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “wuh SHWOH.” 我 is a third tone, and 说 is a first tone.
Other ways to say it
- 我会说wǒ huì shuōI can speak (e.g., a language)
- 我讲wǒ jiǎngI speak / I talk (often interchangeable with 说)
- 我聊wǒ liáoI chat
Examples
我说中文。
wǒ shuō zhōng wén 。
I speak Chinese.
我不会说日语。
wǒ bú huì shuō rì yǔ 。
I don't speak Japanese.
我喜欢和朋友聊天。
wǒ xǐ huan hé péng yǒu liáo tiān 。
I like to chat with friends.
Pro tip: While 说 is a general verb for “to speak,” for expressing the ability to speak a language, it's very common to add 会 (huì, “can”), making it 我会说.
Related phrases
和平 · Peace钱 · Money闭嘴 · Shut up
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